Hill Country Voice

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Austin's relative affordability and number of job opportunities has helped it rank first on Forbes.com's list of the nation's best bargain cities.

To determine which U.S. cities are the best bargains, Forbes.com looked at the country's 50 largest U.S. metropolitan areas. Researchers assigned cities points across four data sets: average salary for workers with a bachelor's degree or higher; annual unemployment statistics; cost of living; and the Housing Opportunity Index that measures the amount of homes sold in a given area that would be affordable to a family earning the local median income.

Many Central Texans have been to San Antonio's Riverwalk, but imagine a development like that in Downtown Austin. It’s one possibility being considered for development of the Waller Creek District. A public workshop will be held on Wednesday to give Austinites a chance to share their ideas.

Waller Creek starts near Highland Mall in North Austin, flows south toward downtown Austin and eventually empties into Lady Bird Lake. Normally it doesn't present a problem for development, but when the city gets heavy rains, the area around the creek gets drenched with problems.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Capital Metro says it is committed to opening the new MetroRail when it is ready, though there is no set date as to when it will be released.

The Capital MetroRail has been making progress in the last two months according to their spokesperson.

Executive President and Chief of Development for Capital Metro Doug Allen says “We are able to start the final phase of the process, which is the training and certification of the operators.”

The original release date was March 30, but due to incidents in February where two Veolia rail supervisors operating MetroRail trains entered a section of track without prior authorization during system testing, the date was postponed.

About an hour from Austin, there's a hidden jewel that's doing its part to restore overgrazed ranch land.

Not only can you go hiking on nature trails and see dinosaur tracks, you can see the efforts being made to protect wildlife and endangered species like the black-capped vireo and golden-cheeked warbler which nest there.

Nestled in the Texas Hill Country, right outside Johnson City, is the Bamberger Ranch -- 5,500 acres of land now considered one of the largest habitat restoration projects in the state.

On Monday organizers made the tough and, “painful” decision to cancel a huge Austin tradition for the next two years. The director of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Expo said there’s just not enough money anymore.

This Expo's been around for 17 years and more than 35,000 people usually attend. But organizers say the recession made too many of their sponsors pull out this year. The free event cost about $400,000.

“The expo is like the state fair of the outdoors,” said Director Ernie Gammage. “you can do everything there.”

Few places have received more accolades in recent years than Austin, the city that ranked first on our list of the best big cities for jobs. Understanding what makes this attractive, fast-growing city tick can tell us much about what urban growth will look like in the coming decades.

Austin's success is not surprising since, in many ways, it starts on third base. Two of its greatest assets result from the luck of the draw; it's both a state capital and home to a major research university.

MetroRapid is a limited-stop bus service that will operate on city streets as a rapid transit system. The vehicles used for MetroRapid will be equipped with signal priority technology to keep traffic lights green as buses approach major intersections to avoid any incidents.

Friday, May 8, 2009

Washing clothes, churning butter and working in the garden may not be the first things that come to mind when you think of how Williamson County families spend their weekends, but more than 500 people are expected to do just that May 9 at the fourth annual Williamson County Pioneer Day. The area’s heritage will be celebrated during the event at Old Settler’s Park, 3300 E. Palm Valley Blvd. in Round Rock.

The event will run from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and is free to the public. A pioneer-style lunch will be served at noon for $3 per person. Supplies are limited so guests are encouraged to arrive early.

State Rep. Scott Hochberg, D-Houston, added two of the more than 160 suggested amendments to the bill. One regards uniform signage.

"You've got to show clearly that it's a toll road you're getting on, you've got to clearly show if there's a payment restriction, like 'Toll Tag only' and you've got to tell people what they're paying for their tolls," Hochberg said.

Austin ranks highest in traffic congestion of all medium-sized population groups, or cities with fewer than one million people, according to the Texas Transportation Institute’s biannual Urban Mobility Report. And the Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce’s 2007 Take on Traffic campaign reports 70 cars are being added to Central Texas’ roadways each day.

“Austin grows a lot faster than most cities our size ... so if we continue to grow without building more capacity, congestion will only get worse,” said Sheryl Cole, Austin city councilwoman and Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization board member.

The City of Austin is looking at several ways to reduce traffic congestion:

Central Texas transportation agencies are adjusting their long-range planning strategies this year to reflect the needs of a region that has been reshaped by rapid growth and accelerated economic development. As Austin and its surrounding communities have become increasingly interconnected over the last decade, agency leaders are working to create systems that will enhance urban mobility and support an emergent commuter population.

The quick pace of growth presents challenges for the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority and other agencies as traffic congestion builds steadily each year, said CTRMA Executive Director Mike Heiligenstein.

“Our transportation model has changed radically over the last 10 years,” he said. “Right now we’re in one of those evolutionary phases of transportation where it’s really hard to get anything put on the ground without a lot of funding mechanisms.”

Home values increased by 5 percent in Travis County over the last year as neighboring Williamson County experienced a 1.3 percent decline.

Travis County’s average homestead appraisal rose from $281,623 in 2008 to $295,747 in 2009. The average value in the Williamson Central Appraisal District is $188,523 this year, compared with an average of $191,072 last year.

A bill that would allow the Eastern Williamson County Higher Education Center to expand its facilities, thereby increasing capacity, is moving forward.

State Representative Diana Maldonado, D-Round Rock, penned the legislation, House Bill 2805, which would allow EWCHEC to finance the construction of a new building. It passed unanimously on the floor of the Texas House of Representatives and now moves to the Senate for consideration.

A lunchtime view across Lake Marble Falls is a welcome break from the workday for Interim City Manager Ralph Hendricks. He hopes a plan beginning this week will entice others to follow suit.

Hendricks said, “Economic development plan will receive a plan for expanding our pavilion into an event center this week.”

Up the hill, he says downtown could use some help from what’s lapping below. But there’s no real connection between the historic Main Street and the water. Businesses sit about four blocks from the banks.

“The center of town, the center of activity in our town have moved,” said Hendricks. “So we need to move our Main Street to match that movement.”

Friday, May 1, 2009

Fort Hood Thursday transferred 662 acres of land to the Texas A&M University System for a new campus.

It's a big donation that will bring in all kinds of benefits and something that has college students like Courtney Simpson excited.

"I think it'll definitely bring more diversity in the area, which we already do have a large diversity with Fort Hood being here and the soldiers, but I just think it'll bring more students here and more activities," she said.

Swine flu fears are affecting everything from school field trips to local festivals and many events have been postponed or canceled altogether.

This year's Pecan Street Festival will go on as scheduled this weekend in Downtown Austin, but organizers have teamed up with an Austin company to provide portable toilets that include handwashing stations.

There were also be 10 sanitizing stations lining Sixth Street along with the crowds and booths.

"There will be water and soap and towels at those hand washing stations and we'll make sure that never runs out," said Debbie Russell, an organizer for the festival.

Thursday, April 30, 2009

A bill that would let Texans take their own wine into restaurants serving liquor has quietly cleared the Texas Senate after some help from Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and the Texas Restaurant Association.

The legislation passed unanimously Thursday using a fast-track process normally reserved for non-controversial bills. Dewhurst, a known wine connoisseur, had told the industry group he would likely take advantage of the law himself if it passed, according to a letter from the association.

The Austin Water Utility (AWU) will implement its mandatory watering schedule beginning Friday, May 1. Residential customers with addresses ending in an odd number may water only on Wednesdays and Saturdays; residential customers with addresses ending in an even number may water only on Thursdays and Sundays. Residential customers may water their lawns anytime on these days except between the hours of 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

The Austin Parks Foundation announced Tuesday it would pledge $100,000 to plant trees in and around the Barton Springs Pool area.

The City of Austin's recently-released tree assessments for Barton Springs Pool raised some concern with many citizens. About 28 trees are designated to come down, because they pose a danger to visitors.

The pledge announcement also marks the establishment of a Barton Springs Tree Care Fund for planting trees in and around the pool at Zilker Park.

Community members and businesses are asked to contribute to fund more care for trees in Austin's Parks. For more information, visit AustinParks.org.

The City of Austin is fast-tracking the awarding of contracts for roadwork and other projects approved under a 2006 bond election.

The program, Accelerate Austin, aims to move on more than $69.1 million in improvements within the next 18 months. The city held an orientation for businesses interested in the stimulus program Tuesday.

The city said the projects will help boose the local economy, creating about 300 area jobs. They also said the negative impact of the recession on the construction industry means the city could save some money.

Six weeks after safety violations forced Capital Metro to reschedule the launch of its new commuter rail line, the line’s private operator has hired a new safety director.

Randall "Randy" Jamieson is the new director of safety, training and regulatory compliance in Austin for Veolia Transportation, the company announced in a press release Tuesday.

On March 20, Capital Metro cancelled the March 28 MetroRail grand opening celebrations for the commuter rail service from Leander to downtown Austin because of alleged safety violations by Veolia workers.

Train services have been delayed indefinitely. Capital Metro promised to present the status of the MetroRail and an action plan by May 15.

The Blue Bonnet Cafe, even during a recession, is doing quite well. Some attribute it to serving great food since the Depression, but it is really their pies with four- to six-inch meringue on top.

Some shops just don't survive. You find plenty of "For Sale" signs in downtown Marble Falls . But just a block away from Main Street, customers can't get enough. John Kemper is one who asked for a full helping.

"Well, I grew up here, and the gentleman, Don Bridges, who owned the Blue Bonnet, was wanting to retire," said Kemper. "And every time I'd come in here, he'd just beg me to buy it, and I finally agreed."

San Marcos entered stage one drought restrictions on Tuesday at noon in response to the Edwards Aquifer Authority ’s declaration of stage restrictions.

The EAA entered stage one on Monday due to low springflows at San Marcos springs.

Both the EAA and City of San Marcos enter stage one when spring flows and/or index well levels fall below designated triggers. The triggers for stage one occur when the ten day average J17 index well level falls below 660 feet above mean sea level or when the ten day average flow rate at San Marcos springs falls below 96 cubic feet per second.

This season, the Vanishing Texas River Cruise has lived up to its name. Passengers have not seen the prime attractions because the water level on Lake Buchanan is so low.

The Lower Colorado River Authority said Lake Buchanan is down by 14 feet, while Lake Travis is down by 28. Each lake only received a half foot to a foot in rain runoff this week, barely enough to make a difference in either lake's lever.

On Monday, April 20, area elected officials including Mayor Alan McGraw, Williamson County Commissioners Lisa Birkman, Precinct 1, and Valerie Covey, Precinct 3, participated in a rally at the state Capitol in support of the region’s “Big Push” initiative to remain in compliance with federal health-based standards for ground-level ozone, commonly known as smog.

The rally celebrated the unveiling of an exciting, region-wide public awareness campaign, “Ozone Action Heroes,” that empowers, educates and encourages residents and businesses to join the growing force to improve our air quality. By committing to at least three simple, yet heroic, actions such as refueling after 6 p.m., checking tire pressure and turning off the lights, we will win the battle against air pollution.

Austin is among the nation's cleanest cities when it comes to particle pollution, according to findings in the latest study from the American Lung Association. But the findings aren't all positive.

Despite the high marks in the particle arena, the city and Travis County received an "F" for ozone pollution.

“Our failing grades for ozone mean that the health and lives of individuals in Austin are at risk," said Sara Dreiling, CEO for the American Lung Association of the Central States. "Now is the time to step up our response.”

Every spring our Mexican Free-tailed Bats return by the thousands to once again call the Congress Avenue Bridge home. And every spring visitors flock by the thousands to witness their massive sunset flights. But a disease could threaten our bat populations in the years to come.

“So far this die off has exceeded our worst nightmarish expectations, it has never been seen before ever on the face of the planet,” Tuttle said.

And seeing fewer bats also equates to seeing more bugs... Way more!

“Just our bats under the congress bridge consume over 30 thousand pounds of insects on an average night,” Tuttle said.

Tuesday, April 28, 2009

The city of San Marcos has imposed water restrictions after officials determined the city is in the first stages of a serious drought.

The Stage 1 drought was declared after the Edward’s Aquifer Authority said that springs have been outputting about half the speed of flow. The authority said these springs are a good way to determine the health of the aquifer, which is the source of 75 percent of San Marcos’ water.

Monday, April 27, 2009

How times have changed: There's a 7.4-mile-long toll road opening in greater Austin in three days, weather permitting, and you don't know about it.

Well, now you do. After a ribbon-cutting Thursday afternoon, Texas 45 Southeast will run from a point on Interstate 35 a few miles north of Buda to U.S. 183 near Mustang Ridge, flowing seamlessly into the south end of the Texas 130 toll road. After a promotional period of one to two months (depending on whether you have an electronic toll tag or not), passenger vehicles with tags will pay $1 to drive it, and everyone else will be billed $1.33 by mail. Truckers will pay about four times that.

The new road will make it easier for cross-country travelers to evade Austin traffic by taking Texas 45 Southeast and Texas 130 around the east fringe of the metro edge.

It might save Lockhart commuters a few minutes. And getting from San Marcos to Bastrop or Elgin will take less time

Though the pint-sized athletes are the reason for the festivities, they're not the only thing out there. The event features live music and cooking competitions for everything from chili to chicken, brisket and baked goods all day long.

Friday, April 24, 2009

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor , Central Texas still remains under an exceptional drought. Last week's rain only put a small dent in our 19 month rain deficit of nearly two feet.

Dire drought conditions and the motivation to "go green" have some Central Texans looking at new ways of conserving water. Rain barrels are a simple way to start. They collect rainwater runoff so homeowners can water their gardens and lawns.

The City of Austin even provides a $500 rebate to help offset the cost of rain barrels if you plan on collecting over 300 gallons. The city also offers 75 gallon barrels at a subsidized cost. If you have a 2,500 square foot home and receive 32 inches of rain annually, you can collect nearly 45,000 gallons of water. Go to the Zilker Botanical Gardens or Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center , and you can see a rainwater harvesting system in use.

Business and civic leaders in and around San Marcos hope to step out of Austin’s economic shadow by forging a growth strategy for the city.

San Marcos’ leaders have long touted the city’s strategic location on the I-35 corridor between Austin and San Antonio and the city’s assets — including a recently expanded hospital, university, new convention center and major retail presence. Yet its economic growth has lagged in the past, a trend the city’s leadership is trying to reverse by crafting the area’s first strategic plan for economic development.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service awarded the Edwards Aquifer Recovery Implementation Program a $1 million habitat conservation planning assistance grant.

The Edwards Aquifer Authority will use the funds, in part, to develop a comprehensive plan for protecting federally listed endangered or threatened species while managing pumping rights out of the aquifer. In 2007, the Texas Legislature mandated the creation of the aquifer recovery implementation program. The Edwards Aquifer Authority has a deadline of Sept. 1, 2012 to complete this plan.

To say that the month of March went poorly for Capital Metro is putting it mildly.

In midmonth, after already a half-year's delay, the agency announced that its new MetroRail commuter rail line would not meet its planned March 30 launch date due to a labor subcontractor's violation of Federal Railroad Administration safety rules. Rail service would finally begin about a month later, the agency said.

Sprouts Farmers Market is forging ahead with a third Austin-area location.

The Phoenix-based natural grocery chain has inked a lease for 25,700 square feet in the Great Hills Station on Research Boulevard.

Sprouts announced plans earlier this year to open two stores in fall 2009 in Rollingwood and Round Rock. The Great Hills location should also open in the fourth quarter, said Andrew Scroggie, vice president of the Austin Commercial Retail Division of The Weitzman Group.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Central Texas continued to add jobs during March, in the face of a recession that led to job losses in every other large Texas city.

The Texas Workforce Commission said Friday that jobs grew in the region at a 0.4 percent annual rate last month. That works out to 3,300 jobs between March 2008 and March 2009. Job growth was 0.2 percent in February.

The local unemployment rate was 6.2 percent, down from 6.3 percent in February but up from 3.8 percent in March 2008.

Sales of existing homes in Central Texas fell 22 percent in March — a six-year low for that month, according to the Austin Board of Realtors. The median price dipped 4 percent, to $180,000, though it was off just 1 percent for the first three months of the year.

March marked the 22nd consecutive month of sales declines, as the Austin market continues to feel the effects of the recession, housing slowdown and slower local job growth. But the year-over-year percentage decline was smaller than in January and February.

Friday, April 17, 2009

The average worker in Texas needs to earn more than twice the minimum wage to afford a two bedroom apartment, according to a new study from the National Low Income Housing Coalition.

The study ranks states based on their housing affordability. Texas ranks 32nd on the list behind states such as North Carolina (21st), Minnesota (30th), Pennsylvania (31st) and Georgia (27th). According to the report, individuals in Texas would need to earn $15.38 per hour to afford rent and utilities, assuming a 40-hour work week. Minimum wage is currently $6.55 per hour, though it will increase to $7.25 on July 24.

About 46 percent of renters in Texas can’t afford a two-bedroom apartment at fair market rent, according to the study. The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development reports a two-bedroom apartment in Texas rents for an average of $800 a month.

President Obama has unveiled new components of a plan to build a nationwide high-speed rail system that includes Texas.

The plan could use $8 billion from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act as well as up to $5 billion over five years from the federal budget as a “down payment” to help create passenger trains.

The Federal Railroad Administration is expected to begin awarding its first round of grants by late summer.

The report from Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood identifies 10 major corridors where high-speed rail would work.

The planned corridors are in California, Washington-Oregon, Texas-Oklahoma-Arkansas, the Gulf Coast including New Orleans and Atlanta, Florida, the Great Lakes centered on Chicago, the Southeast including the Carolinas and Georgia, Pennsylvania, New York and Northern New England.

In Texas, the South Central High-Speed Corridor, would link Dallas-Fort Worth; Austin; San Antonio; Texarkana; Oklahoma City; Tulsa, Okla;. and Little Rock, Ark. A separate line would connect Houston with New Orleans, Mobile and other cities in the Southeast.

Texas lawmakers have passed a measure to use more financial incentives to lure movie and television producers back to the state.

The proposal, which passed the Senate on Friday on a 27-1 vote, now heads to the office of Gov. Rick Perry. Currently, the governor's Texas Film Commission can award grants for the lesser of 5 percent of a production's in-state spending or a specified amount, depending on the type of project.

While the Rio Grande Valley showed slight improvement from a month earlier it continued to the lead the state with the highest unemployment rates. Midland delivered the lowest unemployment rate at 4.3 percent.

Round Rock-based Kerlmax has released the latest version of their Austin Traffic iPhone application. Google Maps has a map-based indicator of traffic, but this app has traffic cameras on the major highways in Austin, plus a list of exactly where incidents are happening. You just don’t get that kind of pinpoint accuracy any other way.

The data comes from the city and the Texas Department of Transportion, so if there are data glitches you’ll have to blame them. It would be cool to see some sort of crowdsourced traffic reporting for the iPhone. Perhaps they’re saving that for version 3.0!

March's hail storm pounded homes and cars, with North Austin as one of the hardest hit areas. Car dealerships were included in the damage and now hundreds of hail-damaged cars fill lots.Chuck Jett, of BMW of Austin, said when the storm him, employees were trying to cover as many cars as possible, moving many inside and even cramming them side-by-side in the showroom and repair shop.

Since the storm came with little advance notice, the cars faced the assault and lost.

Now buyers reap the rewards from the damage. BMW of Austin and other dealers hit by the storm offer some great incentives.

"Most of them were lowering their prices for about $8,000 to $12,000, so that's a very good deal," car shopper Nancy Acosta said.

For the second consecutive month, Austin's unemployment rate has decreased as the region tries to regain the losses it's sustained in the recession.

Austin added 5,100 jobs in the month of March, helping drop the metro area's unemployment rate from 6.3 percent in February to 6.2 percent, according to the latest figures from the Texas Workforce Commission.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

There was standing room only in the Bastrop County Commissioners Courtroom to hear the presentation given by Jim Carpenter of Carpenter & Associates of Austin, the developer of the proposed Central Texas Airport (CTA).

The special meeting was called to give Bastrop County residents some answers to the many questions about the 2,000 acres at the intersection of FM 1704 and FM 969 that would be transformed into an airport for quieter Stage 3 and 4 aircraft.

Monday, April 13, 2009

Andy Wilkins was 15 when he tried cattle rustling for the first time. A pilfered yearling he sold to a wheat farmer brought him about $175.

“Man, it was easy,” he said. As he got older, he grew bolder.

Wilkins, 38, boasts that he can load 16 head of cattle onto a truck by himself in 30 minutes. If a cattle thief is lucky, the rancher will have animals already in a small pen, meaning the bulk of roundup work is done. “You just . . . pull up and load them up, and get out of there,” Wilkins said.

Hal Dumas comes at cattle rustling from the other side.

Dumas, one of more than two dozen special rangers stationed throughout Texas and Oklahoma, supervises a vast area of South and Southeast Texas.

Experts said the combination of a fixed fuel-tax, more fuel-efficient vehicles, and the diversion of funds away from transportation projects will leave the state unable to expand traffic capacity after the year 2012.

Units of police walked through parking lots and placed fliers on cars that had items visible through vehicle windows. The fliers should help educate drivers of their need to protect themselves against the crime.

A change in accounting procedures for the latest audit of the Pedernales Electric Cooperative's books significantly reduces the calculation of the co-op's assets and member equity.

Long-awaited financial statements released Monday, using accounting procedures widely accepted in the co-op industry, showed that the co-op reached $1 billion in assets in 2007, up from $899 million in 2006. Using the old accounting method, unique to Pedernales, the co-op had reported $1 billion in assets in 2006.

The audit released Monday also shows that co-op revenue declined 8 percent in 2007, to $457 million from $496 million in 2006.

A new report from the Texas Public Policy Foundation argues that the money flowing in to the state from the federal stimulus package could actually hinder private sector growth and end up costing Texas more than 131,000 jobs.

The report, titled The Economic Impact of Federal Spending on State Economic Performance—A Texas Perspective, was released at the Capitol on Monday.

Researchers looked at historical patterns of economic growth and spending by federal, state and local governments; the implications for Texas unemployment payments and taxes; and estimated effects that the recently passed federal stimulus package will have on Texas private sector economic activity and employment.

A new report from online consumer resource group Relocation.com backs up recent Census data showing that Texas, and more specifically Austin, continue to see a population influx as people move from other parts of the country being more seriously affected by the recession.

The report, which analyzes interstate moves involving Texas from the beginning of 2007 through the first quarter of 2009, shows that 62 percent of such moves over the 27-month period were people moving to Texas, while just 38 percent were leaving. For 2008, Texas ranked fourth in the country for percentage of moves into the state.

On a per-capita basis, Austin was by far the most popular city in Texas to move to during the analyzed period. Sixty percent of moving requests involved people looking to move to Austin, while 40 percent were people looking to move out of the city.

Texans who love their cheesy enchiladas and chicken-fried steak, take heart.

Lawmakers who want to ban trans fats in Texas restaurants say there's no need to worry about losing any flavor in their favorite foods if healthy oils and ingredients are used instead.

Sen. Eliot Shapleigh of El Paso and Rep. Carol Alvarado of Houston, both Democrats, introduced legislation that would phase in bans of trans fats in restaurants. They say the move would help fight the obesity epidemic and help reduce health insurance costs.

People are out of work now more than ever, but a twist on an old idea is taking shape and finding the jobless jobs. One may says hope is still alive. "We don't ask you to save the world," Chris Bailey said.

"We just ask for you to, one person at a time, help them find a job. Do whatever you need to do. Open up your network," he said.

Bailey joined a contact of his in Washington, D.C. on a venture called Job Angels. In its most basic form, Job Angels seeks to connect unemployed people to those with connections in order for them to find a job.

You can find out more about Job Angels by visiting their website at JobAngels.org.

Valence Technology Inc. will build a $760 million battery manufacturing plant in Central Texas that could employ thousands of people, but the plan relies in part on whether it secures federal stimulus money, executives said Thursday.

The Austin company, which makes rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles, backup power sources and other applications, said it has applied for $608 million in low-interest loans from a federal program designed to spur the development of next-generation cars and trucks.

Valence currently produces its battery systems in China. But its need to expand its manufacturing capacity and an ongoing shift to a new generation of battery-cell technology makes this "a perfect time to consider bringing our expansion plans to the United States," CEO Bob Kanode said.

In a statement issued Wednesday, Capital Metro said it is working on a new timeline to get rail service rolling.

The rail line's planned launch was delayed after allegations of safety violations by the rail contractor, Veolia Transportation.

A Cap Metro spokesperson said it is "working closely with Veolia, the Federal Railroad Administration and the Texas Department of Transportation to ensure all components of the MetroRail line are ready and all outstanding issues are addressed before a single passenger boards a train."

Just nine people accounted for nearly 2,700 of the emergency room visits in the Austin area during the past six years at a cost of $3 million to taxpayers and others, according to a report. The patients went to hospital emergency rooms 2,678 times from 2003 through 2008, said the report from the nonprofit Integrated Care Collaboration, a group of health care providers who care for low-income and uninsured patients.

"What we're really trying to do is find out who's using our emergency rooms ... and find solutions," said Ann Kitchen, executive director of the group, which presented the report last week to the Travis County Healthcare District board.

The average emergency room visit costs $1,000. Hospitals and taxpayers paid the bill through government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, Kitchen said.

The Austin metropolitan area is not likely to see a major correction in home prices, according to PMI Mortgage Insurance Co.’s First Quarter 2009 Economic and Real Estate Trends Report.

When it comes to risk of a home price correction, Austin is the 17th most-stable among the nation's 50 largest cities, the report shows. However, all four of Texas' other major cities are among the top 10 most-stable on the list.

If you love living in Austin, you're not alone and a recent national report says to expect even more new faces. U-haul's Top Growth Cities Report says Austin has the 4th highest percentage of growth in the nation. According to that report, the city's grown more than 8% since 2007.

At U-haul, the manager says moving trucks keep coming in, but barely any leave the Austin lots. They're even hiring additional employees, just to keep up with all the newcomers.

Cases of rabies in Central Texas are on the rise.In 2008 bats accounted for 271 cases in a 30-county region in Central Texas. Skunks came in second with 111 cases.

Travis County had 197 animals that tested positive, all but three were bats. Williamson County reported 53 rabies cases, where 46 were bats and 7 were skunks. Brazos County and Burnet County also reported high numbers of rabies cases, most were bats. In Burnet County 27 cases were confirmed in 2008, but in the prior year there were only 14 cases.

A new study by the Seton Family of Hospitals shows one out of every 10 Medicare patients has a hard time finding a primary-care doctor. The survey found one in four Central Texans believe there are not enough doctors in the area.

The most frequent problems are doctors not taking on new patients and insurance. Of uninsured people, 19 percent report going to the emergency room for basic care.

"In fact, Williamson and Hays counties are considered by the Feds to be underserved counties in the ratio of physicians to population," said Charles Barnett , Seton Family of Hospitals president and CEO. "As those counties continue to grow, that problem will become worse."

The new 183A toll road is more profitable than officials dreamed it would be, bringing in $5 million more than anticipated in 2008, according to new numbers released Friday by the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority.

The 4.5-mile stretch of toll road brought in $15.5 million last year, a full 50 percent more than the $10 million authorities were expecting.

And it's stacking up to be a good year for the authority in 2009 as well.

Revenue from 183A for this past January alone almost $3 million, with the Pay-By-Mail late fees bringing in more than $48, 000.

The City of Austin, already considered one of the most park-friendly cities in the country, is getting a little greener. The Trust for Public Land will officially hand over the deed to 14 acres of parkland to the city to become part of the Barton Creek Greenbelt.

The Trust for Public Land acquired the land in the Gaines Ranch area. They are handing it over to the City to ensure it is preserved and not developed.

The first detailed statewide tree count in Texas history is headed toward this conclusion: Texas is No. 2, second only to Alaska.

The Texas Forest Service said Wednesday initial results of the first inventory outside East Texas indicate that the state has 60 million acres of forest land. That ranks second to Alaska and is about 23 percent of the forestation in the southern U.S.

Living in Central Texas, it's pretty common to see intense rain storms. They can dump a large amount of rain in a short period of time-- and that makes conditions ripe for flash floods. In the event of an emergency, the City of Austin hopes to keep you safe with a phone call.

Friday [March 27], Austin employees demonstrated how their telephone-based emergency notification system works during a flood situation to keep residents safe and help first responders evacuate homes.

To say things are not going well at Capital Metro right now ... well, let's not even bother with polite euphemisms. It's all going to hell.

More than a year behind schedule, the transit agency's new commuter train has been delayed yet again – this time indefinitely. And that announcement came after revelations in the Austin American-Statesman that the agency owes millions of dollars to the city of Austin and other communities it serves – but has drained its cash reserves to build its nonfunctional train and other pricey projects and apparently can't pay it back. According to the States­man's Ben Wear (March 15), Cap Metro's savings, which once reached into the hundreds of millions, are now down to a mere two-month safety cushion.

Austin city officials on Thursday [March 26] unveiled plans for a 200-vehicle, pilot car share program that they say would be the largest of its kind in the nation.

The six-month pilot program calls for a lease agreement for smart-cars with car2go, an arm of Daimler. The agreement is slated to go before the city council on April 2.

If approved, the deal would mark car2go's entry into the burgeoning U.S. car-share market.

During the six-month pilot period, the city would offer on-street and off-street parking spaces for the car share vehicles in exchange for an equivalent amount of car2go driving time for work-related use by city employees. The city would use the pilot to determine whether long-term possibilities exist to postpone or supplement its own vehicle fleet purchases.

Ten of the top 25 fastest growing counties in the country between July 2007 and July 2008 are in Texas, according to a Capital Area Council of Governments analysis of the most-recent U.S. Census report.

That’s more than any other state, with California registering six of the top 25 and Arizona and North Carolina each capturing two.

Forbes.com ranks Austin the 8th best place for business and careers in its latest list.

Texas' Capital City rose significantly from 47th on last year's list. Austin was behind cities such as No. 1 Raleigh, N.C. and No. 4 Fayetteville, Ark. The list was ranked according to factors such as cost of doing business and projected employment growth.

Monday, March 23, 2009

Austin was the nation’s second-fastest-growing metropolitan area between 2007 and 2008, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The population in the Austin-Round Rock area grew 3.8 percent to 1.65 million between July 2007 and July 2008. Among major U.S. metros, that growth rate was second only to Raleigh-Cary, N.C., which experienced a 4.3 percent population uptick during the 12-month period.

Contracts for future commercial construction in the Austin area fell 49 percent in February, compared to the same month last year, according to a new report.McGraw-Hill Construction, which tracks nationwide construction contracts, reported nearly $60 million in future contracts for local commercial construction.

That’s down from $116.9 million reported in February 2007, according to the report. Year-to-date, commercial construction in the region is down 61 percent.

Texas transportation officials are proposing adding a few more road projects to the $1.2 billion in major road work to be paid for with federal economic stimulus money.

Lawmakers complained that economically distressed areas weren't given a priority, as required by the federal law.

So state transportation agency engineers suggested that more projects be added to the $500 million in maintenance work approved last week and to the $1.2 billion in major projects under consideration Thursday. The extra money would come from local or state funds.

Austin City Council voted unanimously March 5 to negotiate and execute a contract with San Fransisco-based Gemini Solar Development Company to produce up to 30 megawatts of solar power over 25 years at $10 million per year, for a total of $250 million. Funding will be provided through the electric fuel charge revenue or future Green Choice revenue. The bid was selected out of 15 proposals.

The facility, which will be located in east Austin, will be the nation's largest solar panel array. The array will be online by 2010. City staff said benefits include no carbon emissions, no fuel cost, energy production coincident with peak demand and the creation of a handful of green collar jobs.

The Austin City Council Thursday approved the next step in creating a new trail around Lady Bird Lake.

The Boardwalk Trail would close a gap in the southeastern part of the Lady Bird Lake hike and bike trail. It would extend the trail more than one mile from the east side of the Austin American-Statesman building to Lakeshore Park.